John lees



J. LEES.

BRAKE.

(No Model.)

Patented Apr. 6, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JOI'IN LEES, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,991, dated April 6,1897.

Application tied November 3,1896. serial 110,610,921. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concer-1L:

Be it known that I, JOHN LEES, a citizen of.

the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion andState of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBrakes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my said invention is to provide a brake for vehicles, moreespecially bicycles, in which the movement of the brakeshoe shall beeffected by means of a screw construction and shall be consequent uponthe mere revolving of the brake-rod and it consists in combining with asuitably-mounted brake-shoe a brake-rod having a suitably screw-formedend and in various details of construction and arrangements of partswhich are combined therewith, as will be hereinafter more particularlydescribed and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof andon which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure lis a perspective view of a frag'- ment of a bicycle frame and wheel witha brake embodying my invention mounted on said frame and adapted tooperate upon said wheel; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view on the dottedline 2 2 in Fig. 3 through the brakeshoe and immediately adjacent parts,illustrating more fully the details of construction thereof; Fig. 3, ahorizontal sectional viewl on the dotted line 3, 3 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4a detail view.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent a fragment of avehicle-wheel; B, the portions of the vehicle upon which the brake ismounted, being in the illustration shown portions of the bicycle-frame;C, the brake-shoe; D, the operating-rod, and E a handle by which thebrake-operating rod is revolved and caused to operate the brake.

The vehicle-wheel A shown is an ordinary bicycle-wheel. The frame B hasno peculiarities so far as my invention is concerned and maybe anyconvenient part of the frame of any vehicle to which my invention isapplied. An ordinary form of bicycle-frame is illustrated, as that bestshows the use to which I have so far applied my said invention, as doesalso the wheel A.

The brake-shoe C has a preferably square shank c and is mounted insuitable ears on a clip B', secured at a suitable point upon the frameB, adjacent to the wheel. This shank, as stated, is preferably square orof some other form not round, and the perforations in the ears l) h oft-he clip through which it passes are of a corresponding shape, and thusthe brake-shoe is held from revolving, while being permitted a freemovement through the said perforations in which it is mounted. At theupper end this shank is provided with a transverse pin c or a suitablehead or other enlargement, and between this part c and the upper surfaceof the upper ear h' of the clip B is interposed a spring S, by which thebrakeshoe is normally held out of contact with the wheel-tire.

The rod D is mounted in an ear b2 of a clip B2, secured to the upperportion of the frame B, and extends thence down and enters the stem c ofthe brake-shoe, its lower end being attened and twisted to form a screwhaving a high pitch. The perforation in the stem c is of course of asuitable form to receive this screw-threaded end of the rod D, the formof said perforation in cross-section being shown in Fig. 3. The rod D isprevented from moving longitudinally, as the ear b2, which supports it,is held between a shoulder and the arm D', and the latter is held inplace by a squared portion on the rod and a nut d', all

as shown in Fig. 4. Said rod D is preferably formed in two parts whichare united telescopically and are adapted to be secured in rigidrelation by a set-screw d. This is so both for the purpose of permittingadjustment of its length to fit the situation required and of enablingthe upper part carrying the handle or lever-arm to be adjusted to properrelation to the lower part having the screw form. The said lever arm orhandle D' is fixedly secured upon the end of the rod D farthest from thebrake-shoe or at an intermediate point. Of course in making these brakesto iit a particular situation the telescopic or adjustable feature ofthe rod may be omitted, but this is an advantage in making them for saleto be fitted to bicycles or such like vehicles generally, and is also anadvantage in applying the device to bicycles wherein the stem of thehandle-bar is vertically adjustable.

The handle E may be of any suitable con- IOO ticular situation in whichthe brake is used.4v

The operation of the invention may be briefly stated as follows: As hasalready been i stated and as will be readily understood, the

brake shoe is normally held out of contact with the wheel-tire T of thewheel A by means of the spring S. When, however, it is desired to throwthe brake into operation, it is accomplished by pulling on the handle Eor such other handle structure as may be provided, and the rod D is thusrotated and the brake-shoe C forced down into contact with saidwheel-tire T. In the construction shown, Where the brake is applied to abicycle, the handle E is hooked in form, so that the rider may operateit by catching said hook with one finger, the hand being otherwise freeto rest upon and guide the handle-bar, as is usual.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with a vehicle, of a brake composed of a brake-shoehaving a stein containing a screw-formed perforation, and a brake-operating rod having a screw-formed end entering said perforation, saidparts being suitably mounted upon the vehicle-frame, so that, byrotating said rod, said bralie-shoe may be forced into contact with thewheeltire, substantially as set forth.

2. rlhe co1nbination,in abrake,of the brakeshoe C having a stem c with alongitudinal screw-formed perforation therein,a brake-rod D having ascrew-formed end adapted to enter said perforation, and a spring Sinterposed between a stationary part on the vehicle-frame and aprojection upon the stem of said brakeshoe, said spring operating tonormally hold said shoe out of contact with the wheel-tire, and said rodwhen rotated operating to force said brake-shoe into contact with saidWheeltire, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a vehicle, of clips or other devices havingprojecting wings, a brake shoe having a stem the formation whereofprevents its rotation which stem passes through similarly-formedperforations in wings on one of said clips, a brake-rod circular incross-section and mounted in a similarly-formed perforation in an ear onanother one of said clips and entering a perforation in the stem of thebrake-shoe, those portions of said rod and said stem which come incontact bein g of ascrew form, and means forrotating said rod and thusoperating said brake, substantially as set forth.

a. The combination, in a vehicle-brake, of a brake-shoe provided with astem mounted to move longitudinallybut not to rotate, said stem having ascrew-formed perforation running longitudinally thereof, and anoperating-rod provided with a screw-formed end entering into saidperforation and mounted to.

tudinally, and suitable means for revolving

